Microsoft's Windows 8 to go on sale in October

Microsoft has confirmed that its new Windows 8 operating system for desktops, laptops and tablets will go on sale by the end of October.

Speaking today (July 9) in Toronto at a Microsoft partner conference, Windows chief financial officer Tami Reller said that Windows 8 would reach "release to manufacturing" (RTM) stage in the first week of August.

Reller also confirmed that the much-vaunted new operating system would move to "general availability" by the end of October, meaning customers will then be able to download the software.